Woman acquitted of purse theft, charged with resisting officer

By Michael D. Abernethy / Times-News

Published: Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 02:36 PM.

GRAHAM — A Burlington woman who was charged with stealing a purse from a department store bathroom said she took the purse by mistake and returned it with all its contents when she realized what had happened.

A jury acquitted her of the charge last week, but convicted her on a charge of resisting an officer.

Jurors found Kathy Wells York, 58, of Edgewood Avenue, not guilty of misdemeanor larceny Thursday. She was appealing guilty verdicts in Alamance County District Court.

She was charged by Burlington police April 29, 2012, accused of stealing a Belk employee’s purse from a bathroom inside the store.

The employee testified that she left a small change purse or makeup bag on a towel rack while she used the restroom. She said she saw York remove it from the restroom and called after her that it wasn’t her purse.

GRAHAM — A Burlington woman who was charged with stealing a purse from a department store bathroom said she took the purse by mistake and returned it with all its contents when she realized what had happened.

A jury acquitted her of the charge last week, but convicted her on a charge of resisting an officer.

Jurors found Kathy Wells York, 58, of Edgewood Avenue, not guilty of misdemeanor larceny Thursday. She was appealing guilty verdicts in Alamance County District Court.

She was charged by Burlington police April 29, 2012, accused of stealing a Belk employee’s purse from a bathroom inside the store.

The employee testified that she left a small change purse or makeup bag on a towel rack while she used the restroom. She said she saw York remove it from the restroom and called after her that it wasn’t her purse.

York testified that the purse resembled her own, that she was having vision problems with a glasses prescription and that she brought the purse back to the store when she realized it wasn’t hers.

When a Burlington officer arrested her, she pulled away saying, “No.” York said she pulled away but called her husband’s name.

Superior Court Judge James E. Hardin Jr. issued a 30-day suspended sentence on the charge of resisting an officer and placed her on 18 months’ probation. York was ordered to complete 24 hours of community service within 60 days, pay a $250 community service fee, pay a $100 fine and pay $384 in court costs. York was also ordered not to be at Alamance Crossing or have contact with the Belk employee or the police officer.